That Civil War Reading Thing-- Part 1: "Able To Go On With His Latin"

From the Spring 2019, Civil War Monitor "Salvo:  Voices."  The magazine goes into first hand accounts on a given subject.  This one is on the importance of reading to Civil War soldiers.

**    "Please Drop Papers."  --   Message on a sign made by Union soldiers on guard duty along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, in hopes that passengers might toss them reading materials.

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**  "While we were bringing water he sat down on the ground, and pulled from his bosom a copy of Andrews' Latin Grammar.  It was covered thick with his blood.  he turned to the fifth declension and began with res, rei.  He said that ... he found this book, and had carried it under his blouse in the fight, thinking if he was wounded or taken prisoner he would be able to go on with his Latin."  --  Rev. E.P. Smith, U.S. Christian Commission, on a wounded soldier he encountered after the Battle of Missionary Ridge.

Veni, Vidi, Vinca?  --Old SeCaesar